In this poem, the poet tells of the situation of a farmer and his family. They come back at dawn after being out in the floodwater for a day and night. They are looking for their albino buffalo. They come back wet and hurt but they do not show any despair. They have been born into a life of hardship and have never complained. Now, they are in the kitchen and they joke and talk while preparing to relax with a smoke.

SYNOPSIS (ACCORDING TO STANZA)

STANZA 1

They returned home at dawn and headed for the stove. Their clothes were soaking wet and tattered. Their bodies were covered with scratches and wounds. Yet, they did not display any signs of being worried.

STANZA 2

They were out in the flood the whole day and night. They were surrounded by dead animals and parts of trees that had been destroyed by the flood. They searched desperately for their son’s albino buffalo but were unable to find it.

STANZA 3

They were born into poverty and difficulty, but they do not complain about their suffer. Instead, they sit in the kitchen, cracking jokes while smoking cigarettes.

But best of all there are the days when the mango and the logwood blossom

When bushes are full of the sound of bees and the scent of honey,

When the tall grass sways and shivers to the slightest breath of air,

When the buttercups have paved the earth with yellow stars

And beauty comes suddenly and the rains have gone.

SYNOPSIS

The poem tells of the weather conditions in Jamaica although it does not have the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter. The weather conditions of golden sunny days and wet rainy days are just as good and are almost equivalent to the four seasons.

UNDERSTANDING THE POEM

Lines 1 to 10

The poet tells about his homeland , Jamaica and rejoices the beauty of this island. Jamaica has no seasonal changes. It has a tropical climate which is hot and wet throughout the year. The days of golden sunshine are glorious and magnificent. The are many canefields in Jamaica as sugar is one of the main exports in this country.

Lines 11 to 15

In the ending of the poem, the poet tells us his favourite time – days when the flowers of mango trees and logwood blossom. He uses imagery of sound and smell to illustrate abundant life and activity in the bushes when the ‘sound of bees and the scent of honey’ add to the charm and beauty if Jamaica. He describes the fields filled with lovely yellow buttercups. All this happens when the rains have stopped and the beauty if nature emerges once again.

THEMES

Beauty of nature

Appreciation of one own’s country

Differences in appearances but similar in effects

MORAL VALUES

We should appreciate what we have in our own country

We should not long for what we do not have.

We should appreciate our homeland.

We should appreciate the beauty of nature.

TONE,MOOD, ATMOSPHERE

Appreciative and happy

Carefree and light-hearted

Sense of beauty

POINT OF VIEW

Third person point of view

LANGUAGE AND STYLE

Simple and easy to understand the language

Clear and descriptive

Simple style with no rhyming scheme

POETIC DEVICES

Imagery – e.g. ‘gold sun’, ‘lush green fields’, ‘trees struggling’

Alliteration – e.g. ‘sways and shivers to the slightest breath of air’

Sunday, March 20, 2011

In line with this, the Hakuho Foundation of Japan, with the approval of the Japanese Ministry of Education, supports children’s education particularly in the areas of language and culture. The foundation, established in 1970 by leading global advertising agency Hakuhodo, which has a 115-year history, provides opportunities for Japanese children to become more well-rounded international individuals with strong understanding of the language and culture of their own country through the Hakuho Scheme for a Global Children’s Japanese Language Network.

The foundation also sponsors the Overseas Experience Programme for Japanese Children, one of four projects under the network, an initiative now in its third year.

Some 12 students from Toko Gakuen and Ojiya Junior High School were in Malaysia for a week-long visit under the programme. The purpose of the trip was to interact with Malaysian students and experience the various communities and their cultures.

During the students’ visit to Malaysia, various activities were organised by the foundation to expose them to ethnic cultures. Malaysian children who are learning the Japanese language, in turn, had a peek at Japanese culture. One of the many activities under the programme was a visit to SMJK Katholik in Petaling Jaya.

The Japanese students were given a chance to interact with, learn from and exchange experiences with the local children.

The visitors were also given a themed discussion to brainstorm. The topic was Tomorrow’s Connections Between Human Beings And Other Living Things. The theme helped students to become aware of the fact that the world has a diversity of animals and plants, as well as issues that will occur in the future. As the students will one day become the main force in society, they will have social influence on and responsibility for such things. The Japanese students also paid a visit to the Education Ministry where they learned more about the education system in Malaysia.

The students’ cultural experience included visits to world heritage sites in Malacca and Kota Kinabalu. — By SHARMILA VELLA

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Congratulations to all 23 schools who have fulfilled the criteria to be recognised as High-Performance Schools (SBT). The list was announced by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin yesterday.

The list of 23 school categorised under High Performance School (SBT) 2011 is as follows :

Sekolah Menengah Imtiaz, Terengganu

Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Jalan Empat, Selangor

Sekolah Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Perak

Sekolah Berasrama Penuh Integrasi Gombak, Selangor

Sekolah Berasrama Penuh Integrasi Kubang Pasu, Kedah

Sekolah Berasrama Penuh Integrasi Pekan, Pahang

Sekolah Menengah Sains Alam Shah, Kuala Lumpur

Sekolah Menengah Sains Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra, Kelantan

Sekolah Menengah Sains Miri, Sarawak

Sekolah Menengah Sains Seri Puteri, Kuala Lumpur

Sekolah Menengah Sains Selangor, Kuala Lumpur

Sekolah Menengah Sains Tengku Abdullah, Pahang

Sekolah Menengah Sains Muar, Johor

Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Ulu Lubai, Sarawak

SK Convent Muar, Johor

SK Seri Biram, Pahang

SK Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin, Kedah

SK Setiawangsa, Kuala Lumpur

SK (Perempuan) Methodist Kuantan, Pahang

SK Sultan Ismail, Terengganu

SK Jalan Tiga, Selangor

SJK(C) Perempuan China, Pulau Pinang

SJK(C) Lick Hung, Selangor

Last year, 20 schools had been announced as High-Performance Schools. This was under the framework to achieve 100 such schools by the year 2013, said Muhyiddin, who is also the Education Minister.

Monday, March 14, 2011

JOURNEY.{Verse 1}This is the ultimate journey of your lifeWhere the weak die and the strong survivePrepare to suffer 40 days and 40 nightsStrap on your boots cause you got a long hike{Chorus}Just another journey, another journey into timeC'mon nowJust another journey, who ever thought I'd cross this lineOhohohohoh{Verse 2}Walking through the dirty streets of Jersey (Jersey)A DOLLAR TO MY NAME searchin for that keyI'm tryin not to reincorinate my pastI'm tired from the game, took another pathDestination 95 Dirty SouthWhere the devil tried to realter my routeCreator took me by the hand and led the way-ayto make the story short thats why I'm here today{Chorus}What about that day you said I would not ----And about that day you kicked me out onto the bricksWhat about that time you said I wouldnt make a dimeAnd about that time you said I couldn't make you mineDestination to the bank overseasWhere Akons treated like royaltyCause there's so much in this world i have to see-eThe WAGON'S rolling so jump in a follow me-e{Breakdown}Born and raised in Africa trying to make a scene(trying to make a scene)The best way to get to you is by this music thingAnd you might believeAkon (Akon)C'mon (c'mon)( let's take it to the streets ) i traveled thro the ghetto's of America( let's take it to the streets ) i traveled thro the ghetto's of Africa( let's take it to the streets ) i traveled thro the ghetto's of Asia( let's take it to the streets ) i traveled thro the ghetto's all over !!{ Chorus }